A shadow of what I once was.

by FaelaArts

And what if that option did not give me what I desired most of all?

“All hear me and obey my commands.” Sombra rotated as he looked each one of the Elements in the eyes. Cadance tilted her head, but said nothing.

“When I release the spell controlling you, you will all immediately attack me with the most powerful harmony magic at your disposal. Leave room for the Elements to transform before attacking. Ensure you don’t remember why you attacked, only that it was on impulse.” Sombra waited as all saluted, and turned to Cadance.

“And you, will not speak a word of this. I expect you to also cast your most powerful harmony spell.” Sombra waited as Cadance frowned, but nodded. Why did he want the spell? Surely harmony magic would just foil his plan. Either way, she wasn’t in a position to argue. At least, yet.

“Good.” Sombra’s gaze softened slightly, and he closed his eyes. In the silence, the dull thudding of something above them could be heard. Opening his eyes, he let the magic fade, and widened his eyes in mock surprise.

“Sombra!” All who had been under his control leapt to action, the Elements transforming in seconds as all charged their strongest harmony spells, and fired directly at Sombra, engulfing the room in a rainbow of color for a brief moment. Sombra’s horn flared to life and he gritted his teeth as the energy swirled around him.

Crying out, Sombra felt the magic from underneath him soon join that which was swirling around him. Sombra lowered his head as he held the concentrated power, comparable to the sun. Closing his eyes and biting down hard, the magic slowly coalesced into a pure white ball, blinding all in attendance. Sombra felt his body began to be torn apart as he controlled forces not meant to be controlled.

Sombra raised his horn, and fired up to the top of the empire.

The ball flew true, hitting a large crystal hanging from the top, shaped perfectly to send a pulse of magic that would engulf the city in a pulse of love. At least, under normal conditions. The ball hit the crystal, and with a cracking, the crystal shattered, its task done. The magic pulsed outward, traveling at mach speed. All Windigoes in its path disintegrated instantly at it passed through them

The magic expanded past Equestria, past the Gryphon Empire, past the badlands where dragons roamed, and soon encompassed the entire world. Then, it faded, and was gone. Sombra’s body collapsed into a puddle of shadow, and remained. Twilight and Luna were the first to recover, trying to recover what memories they could. Nothing remained from the point they had been controlled, they were unable to remember a thing.

“Why do I feel…” Twilight looked herself over, flaring her wings as she put a hoof to her chest in confusion. Something was different, but she was having trouble working out what. Luna, having dealt with darkness before, was more capable of realising what had changed. The others stood up, holding a hoof to their chests as well.

“It’s like, a weight I was not aware of is suddenly gone.” Luna frowned, and looked toward the black puddle and bit her lip in confusion. Cadance flapped her wings a few times, and a spell emerged from her horn as she walked toward the edge and looked down. All the citizens looked even brighter than before, almost blinding.

“Twilight, what happens when you combine the Elements with the Crystal Heart?” Cadance turned as Twilight tilted her head, before shaking it.

“I honestly don’t know, a powerful blast of love and harmony?” Twilight turned her eyes to the puddle as well, and turned to her friends as they shrugged. Cadance walked over, and pointed to the puddle, giving a frown.

“Then why did Sombra cast it, knowing it would render him a black puddle?” Cadance lowered her hoof as all shared a glance, and rubbed their head, feeling a headache coming on. Luna folded her wings and breathed out, trying to remember the old Sombra, memories faded by a thousand years.

Wait…

“Sister, what creature was around a thousand years ago, but has not been seen until today?” Luna turned, feeling a block around her mind she couldn’t get past by herself. If only her memories hadn’t been warped by the Nightmare. Celestia turned, and created a small illusion.

“While technically only legend back then, having vanished after the creation of Equestria, Windigoes.” Celestis looked toward the puddle, and breathed out as she moved to look down upon the Empire, it looked like something was rising up out of the sea of sparkling ponies. It was likely a Pegasi.

“Ah yes, that explains the change in the atmosphere I noticed.” Chrysalis stepped away from the center, and turned to look all of them in the eyes evenly. Motioning toward the sky, she tilted her head as she explained.

“Changelings feast on emotion, and I grew up during a time before the Empire had returned. I felt its return, but not for the reason you think. Before it returned, there had been no emotion to the sky.” Chrysalis took a step forward, lowing her head as she looked at them from the top of her eyes.

“As soon as it appeared, something warped the atmosphere, but only slightly. You’d have to be part-Changeling to notice. I could not begin to describe it, but I will try. Imagine an emotion like Anger, or Hate, and imagine we are a frog in a pot of water. Now imagine that Anger and Hate is the heat that is very slowly boiling the frog without it noticing, and you get an apt description of what the feeling is like.” Chrysalis turned around and gave a shrug as she looked down upon the city.

“Of course, being in the pot I would have never noticed it. But it is as if we, the frog, have been scooped out and placed in the garden to move freely.” Chrysalis raised an eyebrow as the form rising out of the crowd grew larger.

“I believe you can now draw your own conclusions about the black puddle that is on the ground.” Chrysalis stepped back as the form paused eye level with her, and glanced to the Elements. Twilight looked down as the puddle, and then sighed and looked to Luna. Gently reaching a hoof out, Luna slightly touched it, watching it roll off her hoof.

“If I had been a better friend, he would have told me about this.” Sitting down, Luna closed her eyes, ears flopping back. Twilight shuffled over and brought a wing half around Luna, sharing in her pain.

“There’s nothing we can do about this now, but I wish I knew why he didn’t trust me enough to tell me about it.” Twilight closed her eyes and bowed her head too. In truth, she hadn’t exactly been ‘harmonious’ with her friends when they had gotten frozen. Twilight felt ashamed she hadn’t even noticed.

“Ouch, hey!” Chrysalis swiped the Crystal Heart away as it bounced right into her. Swinging around her at her touch, the Heart moved slowly toward the puddle, paying no heed to any pony in it’s way. Hovering over it, it lowered into the puddle, and glowed.

---

Sombra opened his eyes, and didn’t bother looking around the blank, pure white landscape. He knew exactly where he was, and he waited as once more the pony formed in front of him. Sombra, of course, immediately recognised the form as his mother.

“You have done well, we thank you for removing the force that was always against us.” The voice spoke from nowhere and everywhere as the mother’s mouth moved. A warm smile emerged on her face, and she looked calmly at Sombra.

“I have done my duty, the Empire is forever safe from the threat of Windigoes. Now you must deliver on your promise, and let me rest, and finally reunite with my Crystal.” Sombra stepped toward his mother, whose smile slowly turned sad, and she shook her head. Sombra blinked, and his eyes narrowed.

“I’m sorry Sombra, but I’m afraid, we lied. You cannot be allowed to die, you are much too valuable to us.” The mother turned, and began walking away. Sombra growled, and began to chase after her, crying out in anger as moisture sprung to his face.

“You can’t do this to me! I served my Kingdom! I want to see her! Let me rest! You promised!” Sombra watched as her form vanished, unable to keep chase despite the fact she was only calmly walking away. Standing in the pure white, Sombra lowered his head and bit down on his lip, drawing blood. As it dripped onto the white, everything faded to black around him.

---

All eyes stared in shock as the puddle reformed, transforming into a Unicorn that was almost exactly the same, except for a jagged scar going up his horn. Sombra coughed, and a single tear escaped his eyes as his voice spoke, barely a whisper.

“Vous avez promis.” Sombra stopped moving, breathing slowly and obviously unconscious. Luna’s ear twitched, and she frowned, looking toward her sister as she approached, and sighed.

“Very well, but he stays in the dungeon until he answers my questions.” Celestia levitated the contents out of the bag, looking to the runes made to empower a pony, making their energy last longer, and to the fresh limiter conveniently ready for her. Placing the papers back in the bag, she lowered the limiter over the horn, and looked to Cadance.

“We best be on our way, with us three, teleporting to Canterlot should be fairly easy.” Celestia bowed her head, and Cadance blinked, and made a dash for the stairs.

“Wait a moment!” Cadance came back barely a moment later with a sealed letter in her handwriting, dropping the writing utensil on the ground. It was obvious she had written it on her way back. Cadance levitated her letter over to Luna.

“Please give this to him when he wakes.” Cadance bit her lip, and smiled as Luna nodded. Walking over to Shining Armor, she stood beside him, Crystal Heart hovering beside her for some reason, as the three Alicorns charged the spell, and vanished with a poof.

Comments

[Spanishninja001]

Even death is no escape from sombra's curse

[the other sans]

trying to break in could be heard.Opening his eyes
it’s task done
All Windigoes in it’s path
I believe you can no draw your own conclusions about the black puddle that is on the ground
The voice spoke nowhere, and everywhere

1. Forgot your spacing.
2. Its.
3. Its.
4. Extra No.
5. The voice spoke from nowhere and everywhere.

[FaelaArts]

5220144
What, no comment this time :P?

[the other sans]

5220512 Not much else than me just pitying Sombra... He was prepared for that one moment and wanted to finally get some well deserved rest but of course something like that happened. Like being punched in the face repeatedly after having a moment to rest

[FaelaArts]

5220562 It's ok. *hug* At least he's not glaring anymore?

[PinkieLunaShy]

I couldn't be in Sombrero's shoes. Thinking your finally gonna die and the universe is like "NOOOOOPE! TROLOLOLOLOLOL!"..... I couldn't do it...... I'd go on a murder spree....

[Mr Marshmallow]

S: Ahh... Now I can rest in peace...
Heart: Enope! U MAD BRO?!?

[I love life]

translation

"You promised."